


Seeking Snorkacks

by rotaryphones



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-11-29
Updated: 2008-11-29
Packaged: 2017-10-26 18:57:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/286769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rotaryphones/pseuds/rotaryphones
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A new exhibit at the Tate Modern takes a controversial look at one of the most enigmatic figures in contemporary art.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seeking Snorkacks

Five years ago, the contemporary artist and cryptozoologist Luna Lovegood seemingly vanished off the face of the earth. To commemorate the anniversary of her disappearance, the Tate Modern has opened the exhibit, _Seeking Snorkacks: The Mysterious Art and Life of Luna Lovegood._ As the title implies, the show is not only a retrospective of Lovegood’s work, but also explores what little we know about her life and her brief time in the public eye.

Unsurprisingly, the exhibit has already stirred controversy in the art world, the same controversy that plagued Lovegood throughout her short career. It marks the first time her entire body of work has been seen in one place, and for every critic praising the Tate Modern for this undertaking, there is another denouncing its efforts. Why is there such a divide among critics over Lovegood’s validity as an artist? And what new perspective, if any, does this retrospective bring to light?

The exhibit opens with the near-legendary tale of Lovegood’s introduction to the art world, which is also where the controversy began. As the story goes, Lovegood stumbled into Andrews Gallery of London on a hot August day in 2005. After striking up a conversation with the owner, David Andrews, she confessed that she had never before seen modern or contemporary art. Only a few minutes later, she had pulled from her bag two of her own works – _Crumple-Horned Snorkack_ and _Nargle_ – which now adorn the Tate’s walls.

Although the museum presents this information as fact, it is difficult to swallow without some skepticism. Can one truly believe the artist’s claim that she was a stranger to the art world before that day? From the start, there were many who insisted that “Luna Lovegood” was at best a fictional persona, and at worst an opportunistic liar. Her quick rise to fame in London’s art scene, and later her international success, were largely due to her outsider status. But was Lovegood truly an outsider, or was it merely a scheme to sell paintings?

Of course, Lovegood’s outsider authenticity was not the only thing that drew accusation over the years. With little exception, nearly all of Lovegood’s work produced between 2005 and 2007 revolved around her great passion: the study of imaginary creatures. That is, imaginary to everyone but Lovegood. The museum goes to great lengths to remind the viewer that, according to the artist, the invented beasts she depicted were not invented at all. Each painting is presented alongside Lovegood’s “research” on that particular subject, listing its country of origin, diet, mating habits and other properties, making the exhibit feel very much like a stroll through some otherworldly zoo.

Once again it raises the question: should one believe the artist at her word? Was Lovegood actually deranged enough to believe in the existence of her own creations? Or was it simply another lie to lend authenticity to what might otherwise be considered silly and childish? Essentially, was Luna Lovegood a genius, or was she a genius of marketing?

The only evidence that comes close to answering this question comes at the very end of the exhibit, in the form of the only recorded footage that exists of the artist. For twenty minutes, Luna Lovegood herself talks about her work in a question and answer session that took place at one of her gallery openings in early 2006. In the video, she discusses everything from the life cycle of the Wrackspurt to her father’s publishing company, under which she had planned to release her findings. But what stays with the viewer is not what Lovegood says, but how she says it: with complete sincerity and conviction. There is something so genuine in this short video, it may be enough to sway even the harshest cynic, and turn a few skeptics into true believers.

The last item on display is a letter, written, curiously enough, on a thick piece of handmade parchment. The letter, addressed to David Andrews, explains Lovegood’s decision to take a break from art so as to travel the world, and perhaps finally publish her book. It is dated July 9, 2007, less than two years after their first meeting. It was the last anyone ever heard from her.

In the end, there is no definitive answer regarding Luna Lovegood. There are those who will continue to mock her work and her words, and there are those who will continue to believe that, like the Snorkack, she may still be out there. If Lovegood has taught us anything, it is that truth is in the eye of the beholder.

And yet, with all the dissection of truth and lies, reality and fantasy, one must not overlook what lies at the heart of the exhibit: the paintings themselves. What often gets lost in the discussion of Lovegood’s work is the exuberance of her brushstroke; her mastery of colour; her fearless experimentation; the way in which her creatures seem to breathe on the very page. In this way, the Tate Modern is so focused on the minute details of Lovegood’s life that it comes dangerously close to missing the essence of what she had to offer.

It is a mistake that Luna Lovegood, in her careful study of the world’s invisible bestiary, never would have made.

  
_**Seeking Snorkacks: The Mysterious Art and Life of Luna Lovegood** will be on display from July 1 through December 15 at the Tate Modern._   



End file.
